At Gan Shalom, the smell of muffins or bread coming from our kitchen doesn’t just mean that snack time is approaching; it is the scent of our children building community, one measured cup at a time. This year, our Twos and Threes classes have fully embraced the art of baking, turning our snack pantry into a laboratory of exploration and shared joy.
In our Twos classes, baking has become our favorite way to honor one another. Whenever a friend celebrates a birthday, the class gathers to bake cupcakes together. It transforms a solo celebration into a communal gift. Meanwhile, our Threes classes look for inspiration everywhere. Whether they are whipping up sweets that connect to their current area of study or noticing that the bananas in the pantry are perfectly ripe for muffins, they are learning to seize the moment and create something delicious from what is on hand.
Baking at Gan Shalom is far more than just a way to pass the time; it is a rich, multisensory experience that requires focus, recall, and intentional turn-taking to be successful. You would be amazed to overhear our two-year-olds reciting the ingredients for challah entirely from memory as they work together to mix their dough. It teaches patience and anticipation, and also celebrates the beautify of creating a shared tradition. Every Friday, our Twos engage in the beautiful tradition of making hallah dough. This dough travels home in the hands of our students, ready to be baked and enjoyed with your families for Shabbat—connecting the lessons of the classroom to the sanctity of the home.
A Legacy of Sharing
One of my favorite stories to share with the children is Rise and Shine: A Challah Day Tale, by Karen Ostrove. In this charming rhyming story, children find a mysterious paper while playing in their attic and soon discover it is written in Yiddish. Seeking answers, they visit their Grandma Gert at her assisted living home, where she reveals the paper is actually a recipe for Challah. This discovery leads to an afternoon of baking, as the children, Grandma, and her friends follow the recipe together. The resulting closeness and joy perfectly mirror the intergenerational connection and community spirit we strive to foster at Gan Shalom.
Baking is an activity that always yields more than one serving; it is inherently meant to be shared. By helping our children find confidence in the kitchen, we are providing them with building blocks for a lifetime of connection. We hope that years from now, as they bake for their own friends and families, this foundation will allow them to feel a deep, soulful link back to their early days at Gan Shalom and RSNS.
Adrienne Rosen
Gan Shalom Director
